AUSTRALIA’S Mike Harwood produced his best performance of the year with a top ten at the European Senior Tour’s WINSTONgolf Senior Open in Germany on the weekend.
The lanky Victorian fired rounds of 71-67-69 to finish at 9-under in outright fifth place, his first top ten in 2015
Harwood was seven shots behind winner Pedro Linhart (66) of Spain on 16-under, with fast finishing Englishman Barry Lane (62) second at 13-under.
Harwood, a five time European Tour winner, has been somewhat overshadowed by the antics of some compatriots this year but it is good to see him fighting back.
The next best Aussie was Peter O’Malley, who didn’t begin what was just his second senior tour start very well with a double bogey on the par-five first and then another before the turn. He closed with a demoralising 77 but bounced back in the second round with a 7-under 65 to catapult into the top-20. He closed with a 70 to finish at 4-under tied for 23rd, continuing his promising start in the 50 and over ranks.
Peter Fower, the star performer on the tour this year and still second on the Order of Merit behind Colin Montgomerie, also recovered from a somewhat sluggish start to sprint home strongly in the final round with a 7-under 65 to share 25th on 3-under.
Other Aussies in the field were Tim Elliott (T52), Terry Price (T58) and Noel Ratcliffe (T70).
The EST sits out the British Open this week but returns next week with the Senior British Open at Sunningdale Golf Club (Old Course) in Berkshire, England.
Senior finding form on Champions Tour
Meanwhile Peter Senior has been getting back to some form on the US Champions Tour with a T13 finish at the Encompass Championship at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Illinois.
The 55 year old has been hampered by injury of late but shot a 68-72-68 to finish at 8-under, his second best finish of the year and third top 25.
The event was won by America’s Jerry Smith (70) at 16-under from South Africa’s David Frost (68) at 13-under.
In one of his increasingly rare Champions Tour starts Steve Elkington (70) finished at 6-under tied for 21st.
Many of the American tour’s leading lights will also be heading to Berkshire for the Senior Open next week.